Making candidates jump thru hoops for minimum wage jobs

So many open minimum wage jobs yet employers are making candidates jump through so many hoops. It's no wonder these jobs can't be filled. Everywhere you look there are 'help wanted' signs in stores, in manufacturing plants, in factories, in gyms.

True story! Someone I know (let's say Mary) goes to her local gym in a town north of Toronto (which is part of large national chain) nearly everyday. One morning she overhears the manager and another employees lamenting that they can't find someone to work the 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. shift and are desperate to hire someone immediately. Mary is looking to pick up a few hours in the morning to supplement the work she does from home in the afternoon. Her husband leaves for work very early in the morning so she's up. This is ideal for her. The gym is 15 minutes from her house. She goes there anyway. Working this shift will (a) enable her to earn some extra cash (b) work in a place she enjoys going (c) work out after her shift and (d) get free membership thereby saving her and her husband $50 a month. Win, win right?

She goes over to the manager. Introduces herself and expresses an interest in the role. She explains her situation and the fact she is local, works out at the gym nearly every day and is up early anyway. The hours are ideal for her. Here is a pro-active, university educated woman who speaks well, presents well, and is already a member of that establishment. They think that's great and promise to reach out to her.

A week later (a whole week!) someone from HR calls and asks her some routine questions...has she ever been convicted of a crime, is she legally entitled to work in Canada, etc. They promise to then arrange another interview with the manager (with whom she met initially) for a further interview and tour. Another week goes by. She's still waiting.

So what's wrong with this picture? Here's my take on it (as a headhunter/ recruiter for 30+ years). OK, I don't recruit for these roles but know they are hard to fill and turnover is high. Here's a young woman who is local to this small town (having just moved there from Toronto), who is a member of the gym, who presents well and who is interested.

What would I have done as the manager of the gym? I would have taken her into my office immediately and conducted whatever interview I needed to learn if I want to hire her. I'd give her a tour (she knows the gym so this could be skipped but it's a good opportunity perhaps to point out the responsibilities of the role). If the HR person is there, I'd take her to see her at that point to get that interview out of the way and then promise to get back to her within 24 hours. If HR is not there, I'd arrange for that interview by phone pronto. Background checks within 24 hours and she'd be on the job in a matter of days....not weeks.

This is a minimum wage job in a high turnover role. It's a 6 a.m. shift in a smaller town north of Toronto. They already can't find someone for this shift and here's this woman who appears before them. What's wrong with this picture?

If anyone reading this recruits for roles like this for a national gym or for retail roles or restaurant roles or other similar roles, please explain to me your processes and why this one might have been so frustrating.